This first rendering of a car we gossiped about ages ago shows the new color, which we imagine will follow a similar route as the Challenger R/T Classic in serving as both a special design package and a trim-level. If you liked the original, this is at least the same color.

We're still waiting for the Anti-Establishment Ford Fiesta.

As any muscle car owner knows, size does matter and for Chevy fan-boys, this graph probably won't disappoint as the Camaro bars tower higher than Dodge or Ford.

The Swift—ubiquitous in Hungary as it was the first car manufactured in this country—is positively dwarfed by this Mopar monstrosity, seen here in top-of-the-line SRT8 trim, with the 6.1-liter engine and the appropriate Hemi Orange paintjob.

The scene is full of little surprises. Like how you could make a whole new set of wheels for the little Suzuki from the material found in one Challanger wheel. Or how it shows that even downtown parking spaces are indeed giant when compared to the average car: it takes 16.5 feet of American muscle to fill one to the brim.

It’s a wonderful sight in Budapest, this Challenger, comically inappropriate, with a punk swagger often missing from city cars. And while we know that the perfect city car is the Mercedes-Benz W140 S600, this come pretty close.

All you need now is plenty of Hungarian gasoline. At $6 a gallon. Yeehaw!

When the folks at The Mustang Source dropped power output numbers on the both the "Coyote"-powered 2011 Mustang GT and the 3.7-liter V6-powered 2011 Mustang, we'd only heard what horsepower would look like. And it looked strong — a Camaro V6-killing 315 HP.

Now sources have leaked to us the torque numbers and they're set to provide the same kind of a smack down — 275 lb-ft of torque. While that bests the 2010 Camaro V6 by merely 2 lb-ft, as we all know, the muscle car wars have always been a game of whipping power numbers out of your pants. So on the budget side — Ford's V6 looks like they'll win this round. Here's a quick graph we've worked up to show you the full secretary car tale of the tape:

This information is in line with what we've been hearing from our sources at Ford all year. The 2010 Ford Mustang GT came second in our Muscle Car Comparison Test chiefly due to the horsepower deficit between it and the 2010 Chevy Camaro SS (As well as a lack of panache. Wes keeps forgetting this. Kids. — Ed.), an additional 85 HP will go a long way towards making that up.

When we tested a Track Pack-equipped 2010 Mustang GT late last year we were enormously impressed by its handling and composure, with our only real concern being over the somewhat weak and wooden brakes. The Brembos would be a welcome addition.

Here's The Mustang Source's inside scoop:

3.7L V6 to be rated at 315 horsepower: Same as 2010 GT; 15 hp more than Camaro V6
No immediate plans for EcoBoost V6 Mustang due to small horsepower gap between EcoBoost and 5.0L V8 (365 vs 400)
2011 Mustang GT to be rated at 400 horsepower, will get increase in 2012
2011 Mustang GT to get 6-speed transmission and variable valve timing
2011 Mustang GT Track Pack to include Brembo brakes
2011 Mustang GT 5.0L V8, 6-speed, track pack, Brembo brakes ran even with 414-hp BMW M3, which is 200 lbs lighter, at GingerMan Raceway in South Haven, Michigan
2011 Shelby GT500 to get Aluminum Block
Next special edition: 2012 Boss

It should be noted that the lap time comparison allegedly took place between a Mustang wearing R-compound rubber and an M3 on street tires.

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

This is the very last car I rode in on the American continent. Wert showed up with it just as I was heading out of Jalopnik publisher Gawker Media’s Soho offices to subway to JFK. Contrary to my preconceptions, it is a very nice car.

Much more compact than either the Challenger or the Camaro, the big Mustang is a surprisingly nice place to be in. The plastics are uprange Opel, meaning nowhere near Alfa Romeo Euro-poshness but perfectly okay.

While the doorframe is certainly on the high side, you can stick your elbow out without having to worry about the sudden onset of Saturday night palsy, which is very much not the case in neither the Challenger nor the Camaro. And what is a muscle car without an elbow out the window, after all?

It was a fun 20 MPH ride in bumper to bumper traffic, over the Manhattan Bridge and into Brooklyn. Ray will have a full road test up in the coming days. And I certainly hope he will mention the shift knob, which looks (cue Nascar-like Southern drawl) "totally awesome."

Photo Credit: Ray Wert

Dodge Challenger R/T

The Challenger faced impossible odds: it was our chariot of choice in heavy traffic on the Long Island Expressway on our way to see a Lamborghini Miura. While no earthly car can approach the magic of the Miura, the Challenger failed in every way. The inside is decked out in plastics I would not store leftovers meant for dogs in. The shifter is a wobblefest, the A/C is only good for causing sudden onset hypothermia and cocking an elbow out the window is not recommended if you’re worried in the slightest about the health of your radial nerve.

The car may look fun in the pages of a magazine, but in real life, it just does not work. Yes, every modern American muscle car is a clear derivative of 40-year-old designs but while the Camaro and especially the Mustang display elements of modern thinking, the Challenger is at best a cartoon approximation of a scene from Vanishing Point. It is not in visual harmony with its environment.

Riding in the car with me was Natalie Polgar of Hyperleggera, a svelte and attentive driver, who pointed out the lack of grunt from the very loud 5.7-liter Hemi and the curious lack of cornering finesse.

If you have no elbows—and, consequently, no fingertips for feeling materials—and like driving at night in a straight line, this might be your car. Otherwise, steer clear.

Photo Credit: Natalie Polgar

Chevrolet Camaro RS

A fleeting glance this was not: I spent two days in this car, riding from New York City to Detroit and back, a total of over 1200 miles. Pictured above is that most Detroit of scenes, the abandoned Michigan Central Station, which we approached on a late Sunday morning as inner city residents were tending to their vegetable plots set up in its forlorn flowerbeds.

While the Camaro’s interior is a notch above the Challenger’s, the materials used would never fly in Europe, except perhaps in the lowliest of vehicles. But most surprising is the utter lack of interior space in a 16-foot car weighing close to two tons. Fitting a 6'2" frame into the back seats of any coupé is a challenge, but I have never seen anything as bad as the Camaro. There is much more space in a 1973 Lamborghini Espada—or a Fiat Punto, a European supermini a full four feet shorter than the Camaro. There is room for neither knees nor heads. You might be tempted to say that the point of a muscle car is definitely not the rear seat transport of males in the upper three percent of the height curve—and you might be correct. Still, it is an egregiously bad use of space.

The 3.6-liter V6 in the RS is not the engine to get if you decide to buy a Camaro. It develops 300 HP, which is sucked up by the car’s osmium heft, leaving you with sluggish acceleration. The big LS3 V8 must be way more fun.

Still, despite its bad design, it was in the Camaro that I finally understood the point of the American automobile. It was late night in a straight line somewhere out in the Detroit suburbs, the landscaped forests causing the 90+ degrees of the afternoon to plunge, and at a dreamy 60 MPH Pink Floyd was on the radio. But more on that later.

The verdict? Avoid the Challenger, try the Mustang. And if you do pick up the Camaro, grab a Dremel and finish the job of cutting air vents for the rear brakes. They were there on the concept Camaro but regressed to fake indentations on the production model, which really is a shame but perhaps reflects on the creeping sense of sloppy design.

August Sales in total units sold:

Chevy Camaro: 8,680
Ford Mustang: 6,289
Dodge Challenger: 1,132

The competition were outpointed — the Camaro scored a "Very Good" 71 and the Challenger, a "Good" 53 points. Additionally, the boys from East Haddam, CT also ran the newly-redisgned 370Z and the new WRX around their paid-by-subscription track. Both scored "Very Good." Full press release below.

Ford Mustang outpoints Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger in Consumer Reports tests of sports cars and coupes

Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Nissan 370Z, and redesigned Subaru Impreza WRZ get Very Good road test scores

YONKERS, NY - The freshened Ford Mustang outpointed two other reincarnated muscle cars-the Chevrolet Camaro and the Dodge Challenger-as well as the new Hyundai Genesis Coupe in Consumer Reports' tests of six sporty cars and coupes in the October issue.

The Mustang received a Very Good overall road test score of 78, outpointing the Camaro which received a Very Good 71, and the Challenger, which received a Good 53 points. CR's engineers found the Mustang's 2010 freshening makes it an even more balanced and satisfying driver's car than ever before.
"The Mustang topped this group by delivering strong acceleration, communicative steering, and the most agile handling," said David Champion, senior director of CR's Auto Test Center in East Haddam, Connecticut.

The new Camaro shares basic underpinnings with the Pontiac G8 sedan. The Challenger is based on the large Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger rear-wheel-drive sedans. The Hyundai Genesis Coupe received a Very Good test score and is distinct from the rest of the group. It is loosely based on the Genesis luxury sedan and is powered by either a turbocharged four-cylinder or V6 engine, in contrast to the muscle cars' V8s.

CR also tested the redesigned Nissan 370Z two-seat coupe, an agile sports car which received a Very Good test score, and the updated and improved 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX, which also received a Very Good test score.

Prices ranged from $38,565 for the 370Z to $26,088 for the WRX. The Mustang has average reliability and is Recommended, as is the WRX. The other models are too new to have reliability data for CR to Recommend them. CR only Recommends vehicles that have performed well in its tests, have at least average predicted reliability based on CR's Annual Car Reliability Survey of its more than seven million print and web subscribers, and performed at least adequately if crash-tested or included in a government rollover test.

Full tests and ratings of the sporty cars test group appear in the October issue of Consumer Reports, which goes on sale September 1. The reports are also available to subscribers of www.ConsumerReports.org. Updated daily, ConsumerReports.org is the go-to site for the latest auto reviews, product news, blogs on breaking news and car buying information.

In everyday driving, the Mustang corners with agility and the highway ride is civilized. The Ford Mustang GT premium, ($34,725 Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price as tested) is powered by a 315-hp, 4.6-liter V8 engine that delivers strong acceleration and gets 20 mpg overall in CR's own fuel economy tests. The engine has a deep burble that is pleasing to listen to. The six-speed manual transmission shifts smoothly and accurately. Braking is Very Good. The 2010 freshening brought upgraded interior materials and better fit and finish.

The Camaro provides blistering performance and handles capably, but its girth undermines its agility. The Chevrolet Camaro 2SS ($35,425, MSRP as tested), is powered by a 426-hp, 6.2-liter, V8 engine that delivers very strong performance and 18 mpg overall. The engine sounds great when the throttle is punched. The six-speed manual transmission has a good feel. Braking is excellent. The interior is nicely finished despite gaps around the instrument panel and some cheap plastics.

With exhilarating straight-line acceleration, a brawny V8, and stock-car styling, the Challenger recaptures the character of the American muscle car. The Dodge Challenger R/T ($36,600 MSRP as tested), is powered by a 370-hp, 5.7-liter "Hemi" V8 engine that delivers strong performance and 18 mpg overall. The optional six-speed manual transmission shifts well with a pistol-like grip that fits snugly in hand. Whatever wind and road noise there is, and it's not much, is overwhelmed by the invigorating engine growl. Braking is mediocre and it has a big car feel rather than a sports car. The well-assembled interior has a nicely padded dash and nostalgic horizontal seat stitching.

The Genesis Coupe has agile handling that makes make it fun to drive, which is unusual for a Hyundai. The Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Grand Touring ($28,375, MSRP as tested), is powered by a 306-hp, 3.8-liter V6 engine and gets an impressive 23 mpg overall. The V6 engine smoothly hums under acceleration. However, the interaction of the six-speed manual transmission's shifter and heavy clutch make it a challenge to get smooth shifts. Braking is very good. The interior is nicely finished, although it's not luxurious like the Genesis sedan's.

The WRX's ride is taut, yet controlled and the car is steady yet compliant on the highway. The Subaru WRX ($26,088 MSRP as tested,) is powered by a 265-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers very strong acceleration and gets 24 mpg overall. It's well matched to a five-speed manual transmission. In everyday driving, the WRX engine has the manners of a typical four-cylinder with mileage to match. Braking is excellent. Interior plastics are all hard, but the interior is well-assembled.

Redesigned for 2009, the two-seat 370Z is shorter and better finished than its predecessor, the 350Z. Great handling and braking are high points of the 370Z, as is abundant power. The cabin is cramped and noisy, it's hard to see out, and the stiff ride is wearing over time. The Nissan 370Z Touring ($38,565 MSRP as tested) is a real sports car with quick handling and lots of grip. It is powered by a 332-hp, 3.7-liter V6 engine that gets 23 mpg overall, but on premium fuel. The six-speed manual transmission's short-throw shifter has a good feel. Braking is excellent. The interior has exceptional fit and finish.

With more than 7 million print and online subscribers, Consumer Reports is one of the most trusted sources for information and advice on consumer products and services. It conducts the most comprehensive auto-test program of any U.S. publication or Web site and owns and operates a 327-acre Auto Test Center in Connecticut. The organization's auto experts have decades of experience in driving, testing, and reporting on cars. To subscribe, consumers can call 1-800-234-1645 or visit www.ConsumerReports.org.

Yup, there's a 2010 Ford Mustang sitting right behind the General's beefy bitch of a pony looking to grab some gullible New Yorker looking to take a weekend getaway for a mere $725. Yes, just like the Camaro at Avis, the Mustang at Budget's no cheap steal of a deal.

We've scoured the Jalopnik archives for some of our best imagery to provide you with 22 high-resolution wallpapers that will work with both the Apple iPhone and the new Palm Pre. Both devices utilize a 320x480 format, so any of the wallpapers can be swapped between the two if you're a true Gizmodo-like gadget freak. We've even provided you with a handy guide for installing wallpapers on both at the end of the list, just in case you haven't figured out your newfangled touchscreen devices. If you find a wallpaper you like and absolutely must have; install it and take a picture to show us in the comments below.

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.
Sunglasses Guy
'Nuff said.

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2010 Shelby GT500: First Drive
With the 2010 Shelby GT500, SVT's engineers claim they've turned a 500 HP Mustang into a 540 HP super car. They've succeeded, but don't worry; it'll still do enormous burnouts. Read More

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Switzer P800 Nissan GT-R: First Drive
The Switzer P800 Nissan GT-R makes over 700 HP at the wheels, nearly double that of the comparatively plain-Jane GT-R. Luckily that's at all four wheels, because we drove it through both snow and ice. Read More

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Ford GT
Betcha didn't know the Ford GT had a 100th anniversary clue in its headlight. Read More

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2009 Subaru Forester: Unsupervised Off-Road Mayhem
The last 2009 Subaru Forester we drove blew a tire, forcing us into making clichéd gay jokes. This time we took it to an off-road park and beat it like a rented mule. Read More

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2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe: First Drive
For too long the American market has lacked an affordable, accessible, fast, responsive, fun, communicative, good-looking rear-wheel-drive sports coupe. The Hyundai Genesis Coupe is that car. Finally. Read More

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Jalopnik GEM-Powered Detroit Auto Show Mobile Command Center
Want to know what that mystery electric car was? Why it's our very own Jalopnik GEM-powered Detroit Auto Show Mobile Command Center, and it's why we've had the fastest coverage at this year's show! Read More

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AEV J8 MILSPEC: Offroading Jeep's Forbidden Fruit
Until now, civilians couldn't buy the AEV J8 MILSPEC - the militarized truck-bed-equipped Jeep Wrangler. Now you can. We hit the mud to uncover the government secret on Jeep's pickup truck. Read More

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AEV J8 MILSPEC: Offroading Jeep's Forbidden Fruit
Until now, civilians couldn't buy the AEV J8 MILSPEC - the militarized truck-bed-equipped Jeep Wrangler. Now you can. We hit the mud to uncover the government secret on Jeep's pickup truck. Read More

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Save The Enzos!
Would you like to see these glorious t-shirts make a return? Read More

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Muscle Car Wars: Camaro vs. Challenger vs. Mustang
Here's what you've been waiting for - the 2010 Chevy Camaro SS, 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T and the 2010 Ford Mustang GT - reviewed by us, together at the same time and place. Time for the Muscle Car Wars! Read More

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Hoon Of The Day!
Are you the hoon of the day? Would you like to see this t-shirt make a comeback? Read More

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2009 Corvette ZR1: First Drive
The 2009 Corvette ZR1 is the best car ever made. It redefines what performance cars are capable of, not by its numbers (the 0-to-60 in 3.3 seconds and a 205 MPH top speed figures are no longer noteworthy north of $100,000), but by how it makes those numbers so accessible. Simply put, the ZR1's most remarkable achievement is how easy and unintimidating the chassis makes exploiting the car's 638 HP. The only problem is I'm not good enough a driver to fully do so. Read More

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2010 ROUSH Mustang 427R
You'll have to wait for this bad boy. In the meantime check out the 2009 ROUSH Mustang Blackjack. Read More

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2010 Chevy Camaro: First Drive
After countless spy shots, speculation, Transformers tie-ins, leaked photos and numbers comparisons, we've finally driven the 2010 Chevy Camaro. Does the reality match the hype? Well, it's like Star Wars. Read More

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2009 Corvette ZR1: First Drive
The 2009 Corvette ZR1 is the best car ever made. It redefines what performance cars are capable of, not by its numbers (the 0-to-60 in 3.3 seconds and a 205 MPH top speed figures are no longer noteworthy north of $100,000), but by how it makes those numbers so accessible. Simply put, the ZR1's most remarkable achievement is how easy and unintimidating the chassis makes exploiting the car's 638 HP. The only problem is I'm not good enough a driver to fully do so. Read More

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2010 Ford Transit Connect: First Drive
After the Ford Fiesta, the 2010 Ford Transit Connect is the second most lust-worthy European Ford to make it Stateside. Can a small, practical cargo van appeal to big, burly American workers? Read More

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2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8
But this week I'm back in Detroit for one reason, and one reason alone - an entire week of driving the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8. It's a car imbued with so much positive energy there's only thing I can think of to do it justice. I plan on running Dodge's muscular old-school revival up and down Woodward Avenue, stoplight-to-stoplight, from downtown Detroit to Pontiac until I pass out from exhaustion or the gas station declines my credit card. Read More

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2010 Ford Taurus SHO: First Drive
Normally, when we review an exciting new performance car, we like to use a dramatic burnout shot. Unfortunately, the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO barely chirps its front wheels on its 5.2-second trip to 60 MPH.
Read More

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2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8
But this week I'm back in Detroit for one reason, and one reason alone - an entire week of driving the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8. It's a car imbued with so much positive energy there's only thing I can think of to do it justice. I plan on running Dodge's muscular old-school revival up and down Woodward Avenue, stoplight-to-stoplight, from downtown Detroit to Pontiac until I pass out from exhaustion or the gas station declines my credit card. Read More

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.
Down On The Street
Those of you who have been Jalopnik regulars for a while most likely have a pretty solid grasp of the concept behind the Down On The Street series, but what about newcomers to the site? We don't want DOTS to feel like some sort of in-crowd-only deal, so here's the Down On The Street FAQ. Read More

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Jalopnik: Obsessed With The Cult Of Cars
Because you read the internet for the car articles.

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iPhone-Wallpapers provides a simple step-by-step guide to installing wallpapers on your Apple iPhone, although if you already own one shouldn't you already know how to do this?

1. Right-click or control-click on the image you want to use.
2. Select "Save as…" and save the image to your hard drive.
* Mac users can either save the image to a folder or add it to their iPhoto library.
* PC users will want to save the wallpaper into their "My Pictures" folder.

You can then sync the iPhone with photos in iPhoto 4.0.3 or later on a Mac, or Photoshop Album 2.0 or later or Photoshop Elements 3.0 or later on a PC. Or you can sync with any folder on your computer that contains images. Connect the iPhone to your computer and do the following:

1. Launch iTunes then click the Photos tab and select "Sync photos from:"
2. From the pop-up menu, do one of the following:
o If your using a Mac, choose iPhoto or your Pictures folder.
o If you're using a PC, choose Photoshop Album, Photoshop Elements, or your My Pictures folder.
3. Choose Folder, then choose any folder on your computer that has images.
4. Choose "All photos," or choose "Selected folders" or "Selected albums" and choose the folders or albums you want to sync.

Finally on your iPhone:
1. Goto the Photos section of your camera. Browse through the albums or camera roll until you find the picture you wish to use.
2. Select the picture so it is displayed full screen.
3. Tap the icon in the lower left corner of the screen. If you don't see the icon, single tap the picture to display the menus.
4. Here you can select if you want to email the picture, save the picture as a wallpaper, or assign to a contact.
5. If you want to assign to a contact, press that button. The contact list will open and you can select the contact you wish to link to the picture.
6. Select Done to complete the process.

[via iPhone-Wallpapers]
The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.Here's a quick and dirty method to getting wallpapers on your brand-spankin-new Palm Pre thanks to PreThinking.

Adding wallpaper(s) to your Palm Pre:

1. Have your image as the new wallpaper ready on your computer. It must be in 320 x 480pixels. (Check out our wallpapers optimized for the Pre here.)
2. Connect your Palm Pre to the computer using the Micro-USB cable that came with the Pre.
3. Your Pre will ask to Media Sync, USB Drive or Just Charge. Choose USB Drive.Your Pre will now show up as an External Hard Drive on your computer. For Macs, you'll find 'Palm Pre' on your desktop and for windows, it's in 'My Computer'.
4. Click on 'Palm Pre' and you'll find yourself looking at several folders. One of which is labeled 'Wallpapers'.
5. Drag and Drop your preferred wallpaper(s) in the "Wallpapers" folder and you're done!

Changing your Wallpaper on your Palm Pre:

1. Open the 'Photos' App
2. Choose Wallpapers or any other photo album which your new Wallpaper is located at.
3. Scroll down to your new wallpaper and open it
4. Hit the upper left icon for the drop down menu
5. Hit 'Set Wallpaper'
6. It'll ask to Set Wallpaper again, hit it.

[via PreThinking]

Building on the excitement over the new car, no doubt helped by Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the Camaro achieved sales of 9,320 units, compared to just 7,632 for the Mustang. Could this be the start of a trend?

According to the General, the new Camaro is creating enough buzz to play a key role in GM's turnaround. It's obviously drawing showroom traffic with the new Transformers movie — no matter how awful it was. But GM thinks it's so hot it may even catch the Ford Mustang in monthly sales when it has enough available — no small feat given the 'stang sells with a drop-top model alongside the coupe and the Camaro's only got the coupe (not to mention there's not even a t-top version!).

Here's what we're going to do — since there's outlets out there better suited to walking through reams of meaningless testing data, we've left that to them. Instead, we're more interested in how these babies perform as, well, as muscle cars. That's something as much about feeling as about numbers. So we've assigned two Jalopnik staff people to each of the three marvelous modern muscle cars, rating them on a five-star scale for the categories of Exterior Design, Interior Design, Acceleration, Braking, Ride, Handling, Gearbox, Audio, Toys, Value and an Overall score. We'll add up each writers scores for each car and the pony with the most stars at the end wins! Let's begin.

Exterior Design

2010 Chevy Camaro SS

Krewson: *****
Yes, it's a retro-inspired reimagining, and you might want to dock it points for that, and yes, its sheer size is astounding- at one point Wert was driving the Camaro (imagine that) just a couple car-lengths in front of me on the expressway when a Civic pulled between us, and the Camaro's shapely flared fenders were clearly visible on either side of the Honda. But come on, folks, get into the spirit of the thing and admit that from the scowling grille to those muscular flares, it looks exactly the way a 21st-century Camaro should, all hunkered-down heroism and larger-than-life muscularity. A stunning car.

Siler: *****
Ditches the shamelessly retro nature of the other two for something that's more retro futuristic. Pushes all the right muscle car buttons, promising a powerful, wild car underneath.

Dodge Challenger R/T

Siler: ****
The only retro car that actually looks better than the original, the Dodge Challenger resolves the 1970 car's awkward proportions into something that's completely distinctive and seriously attractive. A master class in car as toy for man-children, the Challenger would be perfect if it wasn't so big that it makes all its drivers look like the 12-year olds that they are inside. This car has the "Classic" package, which brings chrome Crager replicas and swoopy black stripes.

Wert: ***
As I've said before, the Challenger's the perfectly-styled retro muscle car...for 2008. Back then it was the only newly-styled pony on the road. Now, with the Camaro and Mustang available, it just kinda looks quaint — not exciting. Still I love the children's coloring book R/T stripe package.

Ford Mustang GT

Wert: ****
I can't tell you how many times I've heard "It's not a revolutionary design change, it's evolutionary." Still, we should all be this evolved. The new design freshens up the packaging of what is, essentially, the same Mustang powertrain lineup as before. Also, love the trick turn signals lighting up in sequence.

Krewson: ****
The Mustang looked, well, pretty okay when it debuted a few years ago, and while it was never exactly revolutionary, they've done a pretty good job of sharpening this crease here and redrawing that curve there to keep the design pleasant enough. Our GT had the extra fog lights, the blacked-out pony on the grille, the nifty sequential turn signals, and the tasteful spoiler delete option, so even in frankly putrid Harvest Gold Metallic (remember the great kitchen stoves of the '70s?) the GT is a nice, handsome car. Not striking or daring or even particularly head-turning, mind you, but certainly a car that'll give the owner satisfied grins for a good long time.

Interior Design

Chevy Camaro SS

Krewson: ****
The strong styling continues inside to pretty good effect, with those distinctive round gauges in rectilinear pods looking out at you through a chunky steering wheel and ancillary gauges peeking up at you past the shifter, materials that are perfectly fine, and two rather firm deep-dish bucket seats (let's just ignore the back seats the way God intended). You are way, way down in those seats, though; again there's no escaping the size of this car, which means visibility isn't great in any direction except straight ahead. And even in the age of chin-level beltlines the Camaro is in a league of its own-I tried to hang my elbow out the window just like any decent American would and damn near dislocated my shoulder. Just the same, it's aggressive, well-executed, and muscle-car appropriate.

Siler: ***
A reasonable amount of space, even in the rear seats, but vision is terrible, materials are cheap and the supplementary instruments down by the gear stick feel contrived.

Dodge Challenger R/T

Siler: **
Well, it covers all the unsightly wires and whatnot, so I suppose that's something. Sit in the Challenger and you could be in a Neon, PT Cruiser or any other crappy Chrysler/Dodge. It does not make you feel special.

Wert: **
Dear federal government, please never let the current LX platform spawn another model with the exact same blank, flat, plastic interior design we've seen since the 300C first rolled off the Brampton assembly line in 2004. The seats however, and rear room, are divine. Your taxpaying friend, Ray.

Ford Mustang GT

Wert: *****
I can't believe I'm saying a Ford Mustang looks good on the inside, but it really does — with lots of room in the front cockpit and good use of more expensive-feeling plastics than the other two muscle cars. Also, bonus point for having a windowsill low enough to rest your elbow on without getting an ulnar nerve displacement.

Krewson: ****
Less pretty, more practical: More retro here, this time Ford flavored, featuring one of the great automotive typefaces of all time on the tach and speedo (Dad was a Ford guy, and seeing that dash on Father's Day weekend gave me a real pang, I don't mind telling you), controls with pleasant heft and feel, and simple, well-bolstered seats. It's a touch slabby, in the way your passenger gets a nice aluminum panel staring them in the face and the door panels kind of resemble collections of vacuum cleaner attachments, but it's all built out of pretty good stuff and you're soon right at home. Except for the rear quarters, outward visibility is quite excellent as well, though Ford will let you cover up those rear-quarter windows with optional louvers if you just want to throw your hands up and say to hell with everything.

Acceleration

Chevy Camaro SS

Krewson: ****
I know, I know, the numbers say one thing, but my inner ear and butt say quite another. You may argue that my butt's doing all the talking as usual, but hear me out: there may be a big ol' version of one of the great engines of all time in this thing, but it's deep down under lots and lots of automotive lard, and the car never felt all that comfortable to launch or happy to hook up. Yes, the Camaro is the quickest car here, and my forebrain knows that. But my, uh, hindbrain keeps telling me all that quick should be a lot more fun, and it's right.

Siler: *****
With a 426 HP, 420 Lb-Ft 6.2-liter V8, straight line acceleration is the Camaro's reason for being. The official 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds means you'd have to bring a Cadillac CTS-V or Corvette to be assured of beating the Camaro.

Dodge Challenger R/T

Siler: ***
376 HP and 410 Lb-Ft of torque do an admirable job of propelling the 4,140 Lb Challenger, but the engine needs more revs than we'd like in a muscle car and that weight does make it noticeably slower than the other two. Expect 0-60 MPH in 5.5 seconds.

Wert: ***
There's always power to be had with a HEMI, even if the R/T only comes equipped with the smaller of the two shoehorned between the rails of this platform. Given how heavy this car is, it needs the 6.1-liter.

Ford Mustang GT

Wert: ***
Meh. Same Mustang powertrain, different Mustang model year. Wake me up when I can get an EcoBoosted-six under the hood with more HP. Or something Boss-ier. Still, the Mustang GT holds its own against the Challenger R/T. Then, of course, they both realize they were just left in a cloud of smoke by the Camaro SS.

Krewson: ****
Same rating as the Camaro, because in the real world, the Mustang is easier to hook up, feels more eager, and unlike the other cars here it wasn't so bloated that it struggled to get out of its own way. Nice loud toppling-woodpile clunks from that live axle, though, and when all's been said and you need to get things done, the Camaro will run a tick or two faster. It just won't be as much fun.

Braking

Chevy Camaro SS

Krewson: ****
Now here's a very pleasant surprise; these brakes are pretty good. Sure, they're giant discs working on huge tires, but it's still a wonder the way they progressively and repeatedly slowed a sizable coupe without being grabby in the least. Impressive.

Siler: ****
Like the engine, biggest is best. 14" discs are reassuringly powerful and easy to modulate.

Dodge Challenger R/T

Wes: ***
You can feel the Challenger's weight here too, even if you can't feel much in general. The 13.6" front discs will bring you to a stop, but we wouldn't want to rely on them to repeatedly haul us up on track.

Ray: **
Could have used a set of Brembos like the SRT8. Just sayin'...

Ford Mustang GT

Wert: ***
Not Brembo-class, but capable with little of the brake fade I felt on the Challenger.

Krewson: ****
Communicative, unflappable, and very good indeed, if not world-beating. Again, size and weight played a subjective part as I was more comfortable braking harder and more confidently in the Mustang than the others.

Ride

Chevy Camaro SS

Krewson: ****
It's firmly sprung and damped, but even on some of the astoundingly excruciating roads we put up with in NYC, the Camaro did an okay job of keeping the fillings in the teeth. It soaks up freeway bumps particularly well, although strangely, expansion joints seem to only hit through the rear wheels. My theory: the supermassive Chevy's front wheels smoothly pound bumps through the Earth's crust on contact, but then the rear wheels jounce over the resulting impact craters.

Siler: ***
Where you want and expect a visceral muscle car, The Camaro rides like a luxury sedan thanks to struts and coil springs up front and multilink rear suspension.

Dodge Challenger R/T

Siler: ***
Pretty decent for a performance car, the Challenger rides like all the LX platform sedans. Large ruts and long sequences of bumps still upset the chassis, meaning more composure would be welcome, that's surprising for a car with independent rear suspension.

Wert: *
Wait, the Mustang's the one with the truck axle, right? In all seriousness, the cut in size from the standard LX platform does nothing to help smooth out the jarring feeling of the West Side highway underneath you.

Ford Mustang GT

Wert: ***
While you can tell it's a live axle, you can also tell Ford's spent the past, umm, 45 years, fine-tuning the suspension for this tree-trunk-like truck axle to soften up what would otherwise be bone-shattering rough roads. It actually performed better than the Challenger's IRS. Who knew?

Krewson: ****
It's good and supple and comfortable, right up the the point it isn't. That live axle does a surprisingly good job of soaking up most trouble, but again, we're in New York City, and on the bad stuff the live axle turns undead on you. As a result, this is is the muscle car I sheepishly drove around the potholes.

Handling

Chevy Camaro SS

Krewson: ***
Frankly, I didn't like driving the Camaro all that much. I didn't hate it-It grips pretty well, and its considerable mass is tautly strung together and evidently well-centralized, because it handles predictably and turns without yawing like a lifeboat and never seemed to want to plow the front under or spin the rear out. But it wasn't the happiest car I've ever driven, and when you took it through the tight stuff or changed direction quickly, it seemed to double in weight. Conversely, the steering was far too light and isolated from the wheels, making the car feel even less integrated.

Siler: ***
Imminently capable yet utterly boring. We want muscle cars to be wild, dangerous beasts that require big balls and bigger skills to exploit, yet your mom could take it down a back road as fast as you could. Push it and the staggered tires will see the narrower fronts push unless you're silly with the throttle, then you get uncontrollable oversteer.

Dodge Challenger R/T

Siler: **
Ties itself in knots in corners, initially it's all understeer before snapping into oversteer unpredictably. You can't fully defeat the stability control (only the traction), which is a good thing because the good ship Challenger feels just like the LX sedan it is underneath.

Wert: **
Frankly, cornering the Challenger's like trying to wrassle a warthog. I mean, if I knew what wrasslin' a warthog was like. But my assumption is it'd operate just like one of them thar rear-wheel-driven animals, moving that rump from side to side with nothing close to resembling grace and ease.

Ford Mustang GT

Wert: ***
Yes, the Mustang GT handles well, but not world-beater well. I'm sorry but the live-axle becomes apparent if you accelerate over even a medium-sized pothole or highway spacer while turning. It's good, but it could be better.

Krewson: *****
Better men than I am, and also Wes, have striven to tell us the Mustang GT is a brilliant handler despite being a bone-stick-stone primitive struts-and-live-axle car. Well, those men and Wes are absolutely right. It moves so much better than every other car in this group that it's hardly even a fair comparison. The steering is well-coupled and well-weighted and perfectly matches the Mustang's aptitude for cornering without drama, complaint, or anything to spoil your fun-your loads and loads of fun. Chalk it up to American ingenuity, I guess, because it flat-out works.

Gearbox

Chevy Camaro SS

Krewson: ****
A muscle car, or as I'm starting to think of this Camaro, "muscle-lux" car, with a six-speed transmission is surely one of the signs we're living in The Future, and this six-speed is a nice one. The clutch engages through a surprisingly narrow band, though, strange when you consider the very similar G8 GXP had such great feel and usability.

Siler: ****
It's a Tremec TR6060, as used in every other V8 GM performance car ever made. That's a good thing because it has short, positive throws and precise selection.

Dodge Challenger R/T

Siler: **
Whoever thought a pistol grip was a good idea for this long-throw, sloppy version of the TR6060 is a moron. It's pretty hard to find the right gear, made harder because you have to grab the shifter like a cartoon superhero.

Wert: ****
I loved the Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission in the Dodge Viper and I love it here in the Challenger. The pistol grip shifter's a nice touch and makes me think, for just a moment that I'm in a ‘60s muscle car. I like that feeling.

Ford Mustang GT

Wert: ****
I simply adore the Mustang's gearbox. It's easy to shift, even with the rock-hard clutch. I'd have given them an extra star if they'd offered a six rather than the five. Ah well, still love it.

Krewson: ****
Just a five-speed here, though, somewhat disappointing as the GT500 can be had with six. Still, it's a good five-speed, the best-shifting gearbox of the group by a couple hairs, with much better, if stiffer clutch feel.

Audio

Chevy Camaro SS

Krewson: ****
The stereo is just fine, I guess (although the exposed rear-speaker magnets and wires in the trunk are a little too retro). I really have to say that the engine note rarely got as growly or raspy as I'd like, and should be more prominent; if it can't be as glorious as the Mustang's, it should at least be as good as the G8 GXP's muted roar.

Siler: ***
The LS3 sounds awesome under full throttle, you can't hear it otherwise. I never turned the stereo on.

Dodge Challenger R/T

Siler: **
The V8 only wakes up at 4,000 RPM and higher, meaning you'll need to use the crappy stereo if you're driving in traffic. It looks like Chrysler bought it at Pep Boys.

Wert: *
Blech. The entire Chrysler audio faceplate lineup needs a redesign. I feel like I'm looking at the same stereos I've seen since 2004. Oh wait, I am.

Ford Mustang GT

Wert: ***
Best of the group — although that's not saying much. But seriously, who's blasting music when you could be listening to the music coming from the pipes out back?

Krewson: ****
The stereo is just fine, I guess. But the important thing is, well, perhaps you've heard that Ford does this great trick where they run some sort of resonator pipe past or through the passenger compartment-I'm not sure which and I don't care, but it is absolutely majestic. It's a sound you hear with your pelvis.

Toys

Chevy Camaro SS

Krewson: ***
I continue to be a fan of GM's OnStar, the navigation system that is made of real live people. Also, if I understand Ray correctly, this car unfolds into a five-story tall robot, which is not to be sneezed at.

Siler: **
No Sat/Nav? OnStar will give you directions and call an ambulance when you hit a telephone pole, but I'd hardly call either fun. The extra gauge pack is somewhat pointless as all the needles do is sit still right in the middle. I'm convinced they're glued on.

Dodge Challenger R/T

Siler: *
If you love caressing sweaty black plastic you'll love playing inside the Challenger, otherwise that cheapo stereo/nav screen is all you get. Still, the Challenger is essentially a full scale Hot Wheels toy so people will always think you're playing with something.

Wert: *
What toys? The craptastic nav system that always sends me through the Brooklyn Battery tunnel rather than the Midtown or Brooklyn Bridge? That one?

Ford Mustang GT

Wert: *
This car is a toy. It's toy-sized and it looks like a toy. Unfortunately, it has no toys in your toy so you can play while you play.

Krewson: ****
Our GT was a little basic, without either of the available nav units, but it did have Ford's excellent SYNC system, which is worth noting for its transparency and because, as far as I know, it's the only voice-recognition system in the world that works really well. It also has that Mustang interior accent-lighting color-change gadget, which is kind of neat, I guess, but spare me.

Value

Chevy Camaro SS

Krewson: ***
Of course the person who absolutely has to have it will get it, and they'll be able to overlook its considerable flaws because none of them are really deal-breakers. But the average person looking for a fun second car just has too many other alternatives, whether they're looking for an all-American-type experience or not; this Camaro is a strange 'tweener, neither a luxury coupe nor a true go-to-hell muscle car, and that's an awkward no-man's land. That said, it was the car that dropped the most jaws, got the most thumbs-up, and made kids yell "Bumblebee! Bumblebee!" Can you really put a price on that?

Siler: ****
A 426 HP Corvette engine with four seats and good looks for just $31,040? That's amazingly good value even if it is boring to drive.

Dodge Challenger R/T

Siler: ***
$30,995 isn't bad for a fast-ish muscle car that looks this good, but the other two offer so much more for a similar price that it'd be hard to pick the Challenger.

Wert: **
It's $1000 cheaper than a base SS but still a world apart.

Ford Mustang GT

Wert: **
At $32,835 it's too rich for my blood. Especially when you can get a Camaro SS with so much more HP, brakes and panache for just a grand more.

Krewson: ****
It wouldn't be perfect, but unlike the other cars here, the Mustang could in fact be your only car. It's the easiest car to drive in everyday traffic as well as the easiest to drive fast, the most comfortable, and probably the cheapest to buy and operate. It's also a 'tweener, but it occupies a more comfortable area between muscle car, sports car, and daily-driver.

Overall

Third: Dodge Challenger R/T
Average score: 2.5
Equipped with all the characteristics of a classic muscle car — big engine, not much else — the Challenger R/T just doesn't stack up in the modern world. Krewson and I spent and entire weekend fighting about who's turn it was to drive it. Not because we wanted to, but because we were so embarrassed by the bright orange paint, Hot Wheels stripes and the huge size that we really didn't.

Second: Ford Mustang GT
Average score: 3.6
The lightest, least powerful and most involving to drive car here, it's nevertheless 111 HP down on the Camaro SS. If muscle cars are about muscle, that matters. Even though it's the cheapest base model, you have to spec it up to the base Camaro SS price if you want equivalent spec. Had we had the optional track pack, with its GT500-derived suspension, we suspect this result could have been even pricier, but the outcome may have been very different.

First: Chevy Camaro SS
Average score: 3.7
The Camaro has a great engine, looks really cool and does pretty well everywhere else. Since none of these cars are out-and-out handlers, that puts it over the top. Grow a mullet, switch to cheap domestic beer and embrace your inner hoon.

[FoxSports]

Photo Credit: Motive

Camaro5 snagged these shots of the first dark gray Camaro. While we'd take our 2010 Chevy Camaro SS in black, we have to admit, it looks classy and understated in Cyber Metallic.

Make sure you check out our 2010 Chevy Camaro First Drive.

[via Camaro5]

The details are thin, but the crash happened March 20th on Dundee Road in North Oakville. We don't know who was behind the wheel but we wouldn't be surprised to learn it was someone from GM at the helm. It makes for a pretty decent metaphor about General Motors right now: just as they start building really good cars, a confluence of unrelated and unpredictable events act together to destroy a good thing. [Krisztina Neglia]